Apparatus for steaming a material in a silo

Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus for supplying steam into a silo (1) comprising a bottom (3), a wall and a discharger with a discharger arm (6) placed in the lower part of the silo and mounted in the bottom by means of a bearing. According to the invention, the silo is provided with a steam supplying element, such as a steam feed pipe (14), extending from the central part of the bottom (3) into the interior of the silo. The feed pipe (14) is preferably passed through the bearing of the discharger and the end of the pipe (14) is provided with a cap (16) protecting the nozzles (15).

Description: The present invention relates to an apparatus for steaming a material in a silo, according to the preamble of claim 1. In pulp industry, the wood used as raw material is cut into chips as required for the production process. Besides external dimensions, the chips must be of the right quality with respect to other properties as well. The chips are conveyed into a steaming silo and from there further to the pulping process. In the silo, the moisture of the chips is adjusted to a suitable level by supplying steam into the silo. At the same time, the air among the chips, which is detrimental to the pulping process, is removed. In previously known technology, the steam is passed into the silo via steam pipes with nozzles placed at different heights on the silo walls or on the bottom of the silo. In these solutions, the steam is unevenly distributed in different parts of the silo, because the area close to the nozzle receives most steam while the areas farthest away, especially in the horizontal direction, receive least steam. To achieve uniform moisture, the pressure or amount of steam or the number of steam pipes and nozzles has to be increased. Both solutions are expensive to implement and they also increase the number of parts requiring service. The object of the invention is to achieve a steam supplying apparatus allowing the steam to be evenly distributed in the whole mass of chips in a chip silo. To implement this, the invention is characterized by the features specified in the characterization part of claim 1. Other embodiments of the invention are characterized by the features presented in the subclaims. With the apparatus of the invention, the steam can be uniformly distributed in different parts of the silo, so that the whole mass of chips is steamed. In this solution, no ducts for steam pipes are required in the walls of the silo because the pipes are passed through the bearing of a discharger mounted at the bottom. In the following, the invention is described by the aid of one of its embodiments by referring to the drawings, in which Fig. 1 presents the bottom of a silo in top view , Fig. 2 presents the silo bottom of fig. 1 as sectioned along line A - A. Fig. 3 presents the silo bottom of fig. 1 as sectioned along line B - B. Fig. 1 illustrates the structure of the bottom of the silo 1 as seen from above. The silo consists of a cylindrical wall 2 attached at its lower edge to a bottom plate 3 and at the upper edge to a top structure (not shown). The chips are supplied into the silo through the top part and removed from it through discharge openings 4 formed in the bottom 3. Mounted in the middle of the bottom plate is a discharger consisting of a discharger hub 5 supported by a bearing in the bottom plate and discharger arms 6 attached to the hub 5. The discharger is turned back and forth through an angle of about ±40° by means of an actuator (not shown). The four arms sweep the whole bottom of the silo, moving the chips towards the discharge openings 4. Placed below the silo bottom are two channels 7 and 8, the ends 9 and 10 of which are provided with junctions for the connection of steam supply pipes. The silo bottom 3 is provided with steam supply holes 11 and 12 placed along the channels 7 and 8. According to the invention, in addition to the previously known structure described above, steam is supplied via steam feed pipes placed under protective hoods 16 and 17 in the hub as described in greater detail in connection with Fig. 2 and 3. US 4 867 845 discloses a steaming vessel for the treatment of wood chips. The vessel has a central steam discharge opening so that the steam is dicharged homogeneously in the interior of the vessel. Fig. 2 presents section A - A in Fig. 1 near the bottom of the silo. The hub 5 of the discharger is mounted with a bearing 13 in the middle of the silo bottom 3. According to the invention, a steam feed pipe 14 goes through the hub 5 into the silo. As shown in Fig. 2, the steam feed pipe 14 extends above the silo bottom and terminates with a nozzle 15 mounted on its end. Mounted on top of the nozzle 15 is a cap 16 acting as a protective hood preventing the nozzle 15 from being blocked by chips. Placed below the nozzle 15 and cap 16 is another cap 17 of a triangular cross-section, covering auxiliary pipes (Fig. 3) branching off from the supply pipe as well as the hub of the discharger, protecting it from the chips. The lower end of the supply pipe is connected to a rotating steam feed connector 19 consisting of a commercial product. The steam feed connector 19 permits up-and-down motion of the feed pipe 14 attached to the discharger. The other end of the connector 19 is attached with a flange 20 to a flexible hose 21 which allows thermal expansion and other deformations requiring flexibility during the process. The hose is further connected with a flange 22 to a steam supply pipe 23 conveying steam from a steam source (not shown). The supply pipe 23 is attached with a fixing element to a steam channel 7 below the silo bottom. The steam supply pipe 23, the hose 21 and the feed pipe 14 with its lateral branches, together with the connector elements placed between them as described above, constitute the steam feed tubing in this embodiment of the invention. Fig. 3 presents section B - B in Fig. 1 and uses the same reference numbers as Fig. 2 for corresponding parts. The steam feed pipe 14 is provided with lateral branches 18 conveying steam to the edges of the cap 17 placed above the hub and serving as a protective hood. The ends of the lateral branches can be provided with nozzles, or they may be simply placed with their open ends under the cap edge as shown. As the discharger is rotated back and forth, the steam feed points move correspondingly back and forth in relation to the bottom of the silo. The direction of steam flow from the pipes 14 and 18 and from under the caps 16 and 17 out into the silo space is indicated by arrows in Fig. 2 and 3. The body 26 of the rotating steam feed connector 19 is fixed with a connecting piece 25 to a fixing lug 28 provided in the silo frame structure 28, whereby the connector 19 is held in place despite the torsional force applied to the pipe. Although in the above description the steam is supplied via pipes, the steam supply can just as well be implemented by providing the caps with channels or plates to direct the steam flow. The protective caps 16 and 17 can also be shaped so as to form steam guides. In any case, the essential point is that the steam is conveyed into the chip mass inside the silo and that the outlet openings or nozzles of the steam feed pipes are moved so as to direct the steam to different parts of the silo. To pass the steam further to parts farther away from the centre of the silo, the steam feed pipe 14 can be provided with additional branches extending towards the edges of the silo and attached to the discharger arms 6. If the bottom plate is provided with steam feed openings, the additional branches preferably extend to a distance allowing their outlet openings to be located in the areas between the steam feed openings 11 and 12 in the silo bottom. In this way, a balanced coverage of the whole silo area will be achieved. The additional branches can be attached to the discharger arms or integrated in the arm structures. The outlet openings of the additional branches are preferably located under the edge of the discharger arm to avoid pipe blockages. The invention has been described above by the aid of one of its embodiments. However, the presentation is not to be regarded as limiting the invention, but the embodiments of the invention may vary within the limits defined by the claims.

Claims: Apparatus for supplying steam into a silo (1) comprising a bottom (3), at least one wall (2) and a discharger with a discharger arm (6) placed in the lower part of the silo and mounted in the bottom by means of a bearing, characterized in that the apparatus comprises a steam supply tubing (14,19-23) connected to a steam source and consisting of at least one steam feed pipe (14) extending substantially from the central part of the bottom (3) of the silo into the interior of the silo (1), and that that part of the steam supply tubing (14,18) which extends into the silo is so fitted that it can move inside the silo (1). Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the steam supply tubing (14,19-23) goes into the silo (1) through the bearing (13) of the discharger. Apparatus according to claim 2, characterized in that the feed pipe (14) is connected with the steam source by means of a rotating connector (19) and a steam supply pipe (23). Apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the steam feed pipe (14) is provided with lateral branches (18) and/or additional branches conjunct with the discharger arms. Apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the ends of the feed pipe (14) and its lateral and additional branches are provided with nozzles (25). Apparatus according to claim 5, characterized in that a protective hood (16,17) is provided above the nozzle (15).

Inventors: KILPELAEINEN REIJO, LAUKKANEN RISTO, VIROLAINEN MATTI, KILPELAEINEN, REIJO, LAUKKANEN, RISTO, VIROLAINEN, MATTI, Kilpeläinen, Reijo
Applicants: ANDRITZ PATENTVERWALTUNG, ANDRITZ-PATENTVERWALTUNGS-GESELLSCHAFT M.B.H.
Application year: 1994
Main classification: D21B1
IPC codes: D21C1, D21B1